Mark Ronson Proves the Value of a Good Rolodex

Ronson experiments with an exciting new instrument at the Highline. Photo: Getty Images

Last night Mark Ronson officially proved to the world that he has a lot of friends. Musician friends, to be exact, who showed up in numbers for Ronson’s record-release party at the Highline Ballroom last night. We expected as much, since Versions is packed with celebrity guest vocalists performing cover songs, and it makes sense that the D.J.-to-the-stars and producer du jour would want to call in favors for what he said was his first New York show ever.

The show was fun (if super-short), though Ronson didn’t really do anything — it was up to his special guests to keep the crowd entertained. Rapper Saigon was pretty entertaining (and should be credited for providing one of the only moments of original material all night), but it was Alex Greenwald from Phantom Planet who stole the show. Toward the end of his rendition of Radiohead’s “Just,” he beckoned the audience to catch him, and catch him they did — after just one awkward failed attempt. After about a 30-second pass-around, the crowd surfed him back to stage, where he basked in the glow of his successful trip. So much so, he even obliged Ronson’s request to sing his “favorite song about L.A.” You guessed it: “California.” As in, The O.C. theme song. Which, sadly, was the best received tune of the night. We guess that’s the risk one takes when getting by with a little help from one’s friends. –Michael D. Ayers